ANGUS
A film review by Chad Polenz
Copyright 1997 Chad Polenz
** (out of 4 = fair) 1995, PG-13, 87 minutes [1 hour, 27 minutes] [comedy] starring: Charlie Talbert (Angus Bethune), George C. Scott (Grandpa Ivan), Chris Owen (Troy), Kathy Bates (Mrs. Meg Bethune), written by Jill Gordon, produced by Charles Roven, Dawn Steel, directed by Patrick Read Johnson.
Although "Angus" isn't a very good movie, I have to admit it surprised me. This is another comedy about the strict class system between teenagers, and at first it doesn't follow the mold and shows a lot of promise. Unfortunately, by the second half, not only did it start to plug in the cliches, but did so in a very poor manner. Movies about young teens going through puberty are always about members of the either the lowest or highest subdivision. Charlie Talbert makes a good debut here as Angus "Bofoon" Bethune, who is the typical fat kid who is also the class brian and is constantly taunted because of his weight and overachievement. The introduction was quite interesting in the way it sets up this character. Through multiple flashbacks, we see him constantly punching the snotty kid who's always picking on him. It seemed as if this time the underdog would reign supreme. But this is a mainstream commercial comedy, so what are the chances of that? Whenever you have movies about the class loser there must always be the typical supporting characters. There is Troy (Owen), the obnoxious, shrimpy sidekick; Mrs. Meg Bethune (Bates), Angus's widowed mother who smothers him with love and food; and Grandpa Ivan (Scott), who is the lovable old man who gives Angus two words of wisdom: "Screw 'em." It takes the movie a while to establish some kind of a plot, which was forgivable at first, but later became extremely distracting. The popular jock who had been at war with Angus since childhood fixes the election for prom king and queen so that Angus will wind up with his girlfriend (who is the most popular girl at school, and whom Angus also happens to have a crush on since age five). This embarrasses Angus beyond belief, and most of the film shows his struggle to prepare himself for the dance even though he doesn't want to go. The second and third acts started a snowballing effect of incidents that were not only unnecessary but done in such a transparent way as to be very preachy and make for a sappy mood. Grandpa Ivan seems to be Angus's unwitting role model, he constantly gives him advice and tells him to break the norm but Angus doesn't listen. The chemistry between Talbert and Scott is quite interesting in and of itself (is this really Buck Turgidson from "Dr. Strangelove"?). I could not believe it when the film would sink so low as to have the grandfather die on his own wedding day! The fact there is no real sense of loss only makes it worse. The theme of "being yourself" seems to be prevalent in all such films. We know one of two resolutions to a story like this will occur. Either the bully will learn to accept Angus for who he is, or through an overdone, climatic encounter the rest of the class will accept Angus and it will be the bully who is the odd man out. Either way, there's unnecessary violence, profanity, and a completely predictable, ironically poetic ending. "Angus" would work fine as an "After School Special" but it is not acceptable as a feature film. Although the characters do seem realistic and have depth to them, they are stuck in a lame story broken down by a screenplay with a case of confused identity. (4/6/97) (5/21/97)
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